Come Take Me Home
by Kay9
Summary: Disaster strikes Rory's life and Tristan is desperate to help her, but she keeps pushing him away... Trory
1. Where was she?

I don't own any of these characters, sadly they all belong to the WB. And I do not own the song, it belongs to Avril Lavigne.  
  
Come Take Me Home  
  
  
  
Where was she?  
  
She should be here by now. Didn't she remember that they were presenting their project today? For God's sake, it was 50% of their grade.  
  
You'd think she'd remember.  
  
"Where is she!" Paris came storming down the hall.  
  
He raised his eyebrows, "Funny, I was just asking myself the same thing."  
  
Paris glared at him, slicing him with daggers. "That's almost surprising. You're not one to care about grades."  
  
"Well, I do now that if I fail anything I'm on my way back to military school." Tristan sent her a look almost as lethal as her own. "I need this project."  
  
Paris fisted her hands and began pacing the hallway, "Okay, I've called home: no answer. I've called the ex: he doesn't know."  
  
"Wait, how'd you get his phone number?" Tristan interrupted her.  
  
Paris didn't answer him but went on talking. "I've tried her mother's cell: it's out of order.Where could she be??!!" Paris almost pulled her hair out of her head. "Ahhh."  
  
"Woah, Paris. Calm down." Tristan ran his hands through his small tuft of blonde hair. "There's probably a reasonable explanation."  
  
"Have you found her yet?" A girl named Rachel with long red hair and bright cat like green eyes sauntered down the hall.  
  
"No!" Paris said frustrated. "I'm going to talk to Ms. White.maybe she'll give us an extension." Paris fumed at the idea. "I am sooo going to kill her."  
  
Tristan and Rachel watched as Paris steamed down the hallway, "What's up her ass?" Rachel snorted.  
  
"Harvard." Tristan replied.  
  
Rachel leaned against a locker and looked Tristan over. "So how was boot camp? I noticed the increase in muscular power." She gave his right biceps a light, flirtatious squeeze.  
  
"You would." Tristan muttered under his breath.  
  
"What was that?" Rachel asked batting her eye lashes and sweeping her long red hair over her shoulder.  
  
"Nothing." Tristan began walking down the hallway, "Tell Paris I'm in the library okay? So she doesn't have another spazz attack."  
  
Tristan made his way to the library leaving behind an open mouthed Rachel. She pissed him off so much, they all did. His first day back they all swarmed him, asking him dumb ass questions. Wouldn't give him any space. An angry shudder sliced through him, military camp was almost turning out to be the better alternative.  
  
He found a small cubby hole in the back of the library and pulled out a book, but never really read.  
  
Things at home weren't much better. Turns out his father had been sleeping with numerous woman for the past five years, none of them his mother. Tristan grimaced when he pictured his mother's face and posture when he had returned home. She had bags under her eyes and was stooped over like an old woman. He hated to see her like that, completely devastated.  
  
His mother was a good person, his father was not. How they ended up together he'd never know. He loved his mother more then anything, he hated his father. Thankfully his mother gained full custody of him; not that his father wanted him anyway. They were in the process of moving out.  
  
Soon he thought, soon I won't have to be in that cold, dry house for another day.  
  
Tristan glanced at his watch, fifteen minutes until his free period ended. This made his thoughts turn to Rory Gilmore. Where could she be?  
  
Rory hadn't been at all sick yesterday, he would have noticed. She would never play hooky on a day when she was presenting a grade altering project. Hell, she would never play hooky at all. So, where was she?  
  
They had become somewhat friends this year. He didn't tease her any longer, he had no desire to. He still had an immense crush on her but he didn't want to be in a relationship right now. That's a first.  
  
He smiled as he thought of all the times they had worked on their project together. One time they had went to Rory's house where her mother had attempted to sabotage their studying with no success. He looked forward to being better friends with her in the future.  
  
Once more he glanced at his watch to see that there was only five minutes before the bell rang. He stood up and waked out of the library in search of Paris. Maybe she had gotten that extension.  
  
Tristan strode down the hallway, his eyes scanning for Paris.  
  
"Tristan." A weak voice called to him from behind.  
  
Is that Paris? It can't be it sounds nothing like her.but it was. He turned around to see Paris slowly walking towards him. "Paris, did we get the extension?"  
  
"No.no we didn't." Her voice broke off.  
  
When Tristan was close enough to her, he saw that she looked lost and somewhat distraught. "Paris!" He said, surprised. "What's wrong?" When has Paris Gellar ever looked lost or distraught?  
  
She looked up at him, almost confused. "Rory.she.her." Paris struggled with her words.  
  
Tristan grabbed a hold of Paris's shoulders and lightly shook, "What is it? Did something happen to Rory?"  
  
"Yes.I mean well, no." Distracted, she looked around.  
  
"Paris, please tell me what's wrong." Tristan said desperate.  
  
"Rory's mom, she-she was in an accident." Paris lowered her head.  
  
Tristan's arms tightened on her shoulders. "What happened." He whispered it.  
  
Paris looked up, her eyes bright with tears. " Her car ran off the road.Oh, Tristan." Paris drew in short breaths. "She's dead.  
  
"Shit.oh, shit." Tristan's arms dropped to his sides, shocked.  
  
"That's why she wasn't here." Paris shook her head. "Oh God, she was the most open person I think I've ever met."  
  
Tristan was still cursing, his hands running through his hair. "No, way. Oh, shit.no way."  
  
Paris began sobbing, "Oh, God. I can't believe this happened." She shook her head hard and tried to force the tears back to no avail. "I don't even know why I'm crying so hard.I barely even knew her."  
  
Tristan stopped cursing and surprised them both by bringing Paris into his embrace.  
  
More tears came, "It's just that she's like know one I've ever met."  
  
Tristan ran his hands through her hair trying to give comfort. He squeezed his own eyes shut willing the tears not to come.  
  
"I remember when I first met her, I thought.I thought, I wish my mom was like that." 


	2. The lost girl

A day went by and still Rory did not come to school. Another day after that and another, until all those days turned into a week.  
  
Tristan went to the wake where he saw Rory, but it wasn't Rory. Not really anyway. At the wake she barely spoke, barely moved and she always looked so tired. But most of all her blue, blue eyes were dull and overcast. They weren't bright and hopeful as they usually were. The whole time he was there Rory stayed close and held hands with a dark haired boy who looked about the same age.  
  
He couldn't help being jealous, wishing it were him she wanted to be protected by.  
  
When he went to her to offer condolence she barely even recognized him. Just whispered a thank you and looked away.  
  
No, it definitely was not the same Rory.  
  
Tristan sighed and tried to force his mind to concentrate more on the road he was driving on but failed to do so. He wished there was something he could do to help her. Anything at all.  
  
Maybe she would be at school today.  
  
The funeral had been three days ago. Only family members and close friends had been allowed to attend. There would've been way too many people had there not been restrictions. When he went to the wake it had been packed, the waiting line out the door. Many people had loved Lorelai Gilmore.  
  
He pulled into the student parking lot and parked his sleek, red camero. He slipped his keys into his pocket as he made his way up to school. The courtyard was empty, if he didn't hurry he would be late for class. When he got to his locker and grabbed his books the hallways were empty except for one other person.  
  
Rory Gilmore.  
  
She was slowly, no, painstakingly, taking her books out of her locker. Her face was contorted in grief and fear. Probably fear of living without her mother for the rest of her life.  
  
He gently made his way towards her. "Hey." He said when he was close enough.  
  
Her head jerked up, for one small second her face revealed everything: anguish, grief, distress. But she quickly recovered herself and hid everything away. "Hi."  
  
"If you need anything, just let me know. Okay?" Tristan leaned against the locker next to hers, his face full of concern.  
  
"Okay. Thanks." Rory forced a smile and closed her locker door quietly.  
  
The bell rang and Tristan stood straight, "See you around."  
  
"Bye." Rory said quietly and they walked in their separate directions.  
  
She looked back at him, surprised at how kind and concerned he seemed. He didn't even ask how she was. Thank God.  
  
She was ready to yell at the next person who asked her that. How did they THINK she was??!!! She bit her lip and held back a scream of rage. She didn't want to be here, she wanted her mother and she wanted her now. How could she have left her? How?  
  
She steadied herself and made her way into the classroom.  
  
* * *  
  
Two weeks later Tristan was lying on his bed listening to music and doing his homework. A habit his mother found quite annoying. He was almost done with math when his mother called him from downstairs.  
  
"I'll be done in a minute!" He yelled back through his music.  
  
Tristan clambered down the stairs and into the kitchen, the kitchen of his new house. Or should he say old house? He and his mother had finally moved into a very old, but beautiful brick house. Much smaller then he was used to and he loved it. His mother had enough inheritance and divorce money for them to live about two years but she was going to have to get a job. Right now she was going to college again and Tristan had never seen her happier.  
  
"What's up Mom?' Tristan asked as he entered the kitchen.  
  
Kathryn DuGrey, or Farley now, looked up from what she was doing when her son entered the room. "Hey, hun. How do you think these shelves look?"  
  
Tristan saw that his mother had been putting up cherry wood shelves that matched the old style kitchen perfectly. "Great."  
  
Kathryn pushed back a piece of her black hair, which was slightly graying now. "I just received a call from Emily Gilmore." She had the same piercing blue eyes as Tristan but the rest of his looks came from his father. Kathryn Farley was pure Irish.  
  
"Oh?" Tristan said his mind in full gear now. He had told his mother about Lorelai and Rory, and well, everything else with it.  
  
"Yes, we know each other form business parties and such. She actually doesn't live to far away from here." She hammered a nail into the wall losing interest.  
  
"She knows that you attend Chilton and wanted to know if you could give Rory a ride home in the afternoons after school; since she would not be able to." Kathryn raised her eyebrows at Tristan as she saw his face lighten. "I said you'd be delighted to."  
  
"Yeah, sure. Except on Fridays." Tristan said.  
  
"I told her about Fridays and she said that was just fine and told me to thank you."  
  
"How far away is Stars Hollow?" Tristan asked.  
  
Kathryn looked puzzled, "Stars Hollow? Why do you ask?"  
  
"Isn't that where Rory lives?"  
  
"Oh, well it was. She's moving to Hartford to love with her grandparents now."  
  
"Oh." Tristan said surprised. "That's gotta be hard on Rory. I wonder why she wouldn't live with her father?"  
  
"Probably because she wouldn't want to change schools her senior year." Kathryn shrugged. "So you'll do it?"  
  
"Yeah." Tristan said wondering how all this would turn out.  
  
* * *  
  
Tristan shoved the last of his books into his bag and shut his locker. He scanned the hallways for Rory Gilmore, he would be bringing her home today. He found her walking out the door into the courtyard.  
  
"Rory!" He called running after her, trying to catch up.  
  
She turned around with a quizzical look on her face, "What is it Tristan?"  
  
"I'm taking you home today." He said as soon as he caught up to her.  
  
Rory looked confused, "I take the bus home, I don't need a ride."  
  
"Your grandmother didn't tell you?" When she shook her head, he said, "She asked if I would take you home after school and I said yes."  
  
"She didn't tell me, besides I always take the bus. I'm just fine." She started making her way to the bus stop once again.  
  
Tristan caught her by the arm and stopped her. "But I told her I would."  
  
"But that's silly, we live so far from each other."  
  
"Rory, we only live like two minutes from each other now." He raised his eyebrows.  
  
Rory scowled, "No, I live almost 45 minutes from you in Stars . . . " She trailed off and looked away. She bit her lip and her cheeks turned a deep crimson.  
  
Oh, Christ, she forgot. Tristan swelled with sympathy, he wished he knew what to say, but he didn't. They stood there in silence.  
  
Finally, she said, "Alright, I'll go with you." She looked down when she spoke to him.  
  
"My car's over their, follow me." Tristan led the way to his car.  
  
Rory followed him noiselessly.  
  
Tristan opened the door for when they reached his car.  
  
"Thanks." She whispered softly.  
  
He noticed tears in her eyes.  
  
He went around to the other side and got in himself. He started the engine and left the Chilton parking lot. "So, when did you move in with your grandparents?" He asked hoping for conversation.  
  
"Just the other day." Rory answered as best she could.  
  
"Adjusting okay?" He asked.  
  
"I guess." Rory looked out the window, watching as the unfamiliar town of Hartford passed by.  
  
The rest of the ride was silent, an uncomfortable one. When they finally reached her grandparents house Rory didn't make any movement to get out of the car. She just stared at the house with uncertainty.  
  
"Rory?" Tristan said tearing her out of her reverie.  
  
"Yeah." She opened the car door and was about to step out when he grabbed her hand. She looked at him, confused.  
  
"Listen. I would like to say that I understand what you're going through. But I don't." He stopped searching for words. "I just want to let you know that I'm here for you." He squeezed her hand once and then let it go.  
  
Rory gave him a small smile, "I appreciate that Tristan, I really do. I'll see you tomorrow." She shut the door and made her way up to the house.  
  
He waited until she was safely in the house before he drove off to his own home.  
  
Tristan was in the family room watching TV when his mother returned home from her classes that day.  
  
She came into the family room with a bag of groceries and kissed him on the cheek, "How was school?"  
  
"Same as it always is." He replied shutting of the TV now that he had some company. "How about you?"  
  
"I've got a lot of homework tonight. We'll have to have a quick dinner." She answered as she went into the kitchen.  
  
Tristan followed her, "Sounds good." He watched as she took food out of the grocery bag. "Hamburgers?"  
  
"Yep." Kathryn said taking the meat out of the bag and putting it on the counter. "Did you drive Rory home today?"  
  
"Yeah." Tristan sighed.  
  
"Didn't go so well?" She asked with a concerned look.  
  
"Not really." He shook his head. "She forgot."  
  
"What, that you were taking her home?"  
  
"No, that she lived in Hartford now." Tristan ran a hand through his still short hair. "When I told her I was taking her home she got all confused and said that wasn't necessary because she lived so far away. And then I think she remembered."  
  
"Oh, the poor dear." Kathryn shook her head. "It must be so hard on her."  
  
"She and her Mom were really close. When I went over there they practically finished each other's sentences." Tristan thought about what it would be like to lose his own Mom. He didn't even want to think about it. "I wish there was something I could do."  
  
"Well, you are giving her rides home." Kathryn supplied as she began laying out the meat in hamburger form.  
  
"Yeah, to a place where she doesn't want to go."  
  
"She doesn't like her grandparents?" She asked.  
  
Tristan put away the rest of the groceries and said, "No, she does. I think she'd just rather be . . . "  
  
"At home." Kathryn finished for him.  
  
"Yeah, at home." 


	3. Fajitah frenzy

"You're nicer now." Rory said interrupting the silence and startling Tristan.  
  
"What?" He said confused. He was driving her home again for the last time that week.  
  
"You're nicer now." She said again.  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Yeah, ever since you came back from military school. They really shaped you up there." Rory declared looking at him from the passenger seat.  
  
"Well, I'm glad I went then." Tristan replied.  
  
"Me too."  
  
"How'd you do on the World History quiz today?" Tristan asked, glad for conversation.  
  
"Okay, I think." Rory moved around in her seat. "Number ten was hard though."  
  
"I had some trouble with that myself."  
  
"The big test is next week." Rory sighed, "That's going to be a killer."  
  
Tristan hesitated and then said, "We could study together for that if you wanted to."  
  
Rory looked at him curiously, "We could?"  
  
"Yeah, if you want to." Tristan pulled into her street.  
  
"Okay, sure." Rory grinned at him.  
  
The first real grin Tristan had seen since she had come back to school. He had been driving her home for two weeks now. He grinned back. "Tuesday after school okay?" He parked in her driveway. "Yep." Rory got out of the car.  
  
"You do have a ride tomorrow, right?" Tomorrow was Friday, Tristan wouldn't be driving her home.  
  
"Yes, my Grandma's picking me up." Rory leaned down to talk to him, "Thanks for the ride Tristan."  
  
"No problem, see ya." He said as she closed the door.  
  
Rory waved and walked into the house.  
  
Tristan drove off smiling to himself.  
  
* * *  
  
The weekend flew by along with Monday, and here they were at Tristan's house studying. They had been studying for two hours now, non- stop.  
  
"Who issued the Monroe Doctrine?" Tristan asked.  
  
Rory laughed, "Well, hmmm, President Monroe?"  
  
Tristan smiled, "Oh right. My bad."  
  
"Okay, during the age of imperialism, what . . . " Rory was cut off by a voice coming from the front of the house.  
  
"I'm home!" Kathryn announced. She came into the kitchen carrying her brief case. "Hey, hun." She said to Tristan.  
  
"Hi Mom." Tristan said.  
  
Kathryn eyes then landed on Rory. "Hello, you must be Rory, I'm Kathryn, Tristan's mom." She held out her hand.  
  
Rory stood up and shook it, "It's nice to meet you Mrs. ...Mrs. .." Rory stumbled with her words, not sure what name to use.  
  
Kathryn laughed and brushed it off with her hand. "Just call me Kathryn, I no longer deal with formalities. So have you two been studying?"  
  
Tristan sighed, "Too much."  
  
Rory nodded, "I'd say were about ready for that test tomorrow."  
  
"Well, good because guess what were having for dinner tonight?" Kathryn asked with laughter in her bright blue eyes.  
  
"Something good I hope." Tristan grumbled.  
  
"It's your favorite, Tris." Kathryn set her brief case down on the kitchen desk.  
  
Tristan's face lit up, "Fajitahs?!" He asked like a little boy who was just told that he could have ice cream for dinner.  
  
"Yes, we haven't had those in quite awhile." Kathryn smiled and began assembling ingredients.  
  
"Yeah, not since Dad wouldn't." Tristan abruptly stopped and turned slightly red. He looked down at his books.  
  
Rory watched the scene play out curiously around her. The smile had disappeared from Kathryn's face and Tristan was unusually quiet. She said, "I've never had fajitahs before." Hoping to fill in the void of silence.  
  
Tristan jerked his head up with a look of pure astonishment on his face, "Psycho."  
  
"Hey! I resent that." Rory glared at him.  
  
"Well, there's a first time for everything." The smile returned to Kathryn's face. "Would you like to eat over tonight Rory? We have plenty."  
  
Rory hesitated, why not? "Yeah, sure that'd be great. Can I call my grandma and let her know?"  
  
"Absolutely. The telephone's right over there." Kathryn gestured to it. "They'll be ready in about a half an hour."  
  
After she called her grandparents, Rory and Tristan continued to study for the next half an hour until dinner was ready.  
  
"Wow, these are really messy." Rory laughed as half of her fillings spilled out from her tortilla.  
  
Tristan took a bite from his perfectly formed tortilla, "You put too much in it, that's why. You have to master the art of a fajitah, with that comes time and experience."  
  
Rory tried to reassemble her messy tortilla, "This better be worth it."  
  
"Oh, believe me, it is." Kathryn finished off her first fajitah and began reaching for another tortilla. "You're allowed to eat as much as you want on fajitah night."  
  
"That's why I like them so much." Tristan said with his mouthful.  
  
"Chew, swallow, then talk." His mother scolded lightly.  
  
But Tristan just grinned, his mouth still full of food.  
  
"Oh, gross." Rory said looking away.  
  
"Having any trouble?" Tristan asked after swallowing. He noticed that her fillings had fallen out again.  
  
"No." Rory stared at him defiantly and then looked down at the mess on her plate. "Yes." Came the defeated answer.  
  
"Here, I'll do it." He reached across and took her plate. He reassembled the tortilla neatly and handed it back to her.  
  
She stared at it, amazed. "How'd you do that?"  
  
"Skill." Tristan said egotistically.  
  
"Don't listen to him." Kathryn rolled her eyes. "After you have them a few time it becomes pretty simple."  
  
Rory took a bite of hers, with her mouth still full she said "Oh! This is really good." She realized her mouth was still full and clamped her hand over it blushing slightly.  
  
"Oh, gross." Tristan said in a mock female voice.  
  
Kathryn laughed, "It's okay. That's what happens when you take your first bite of the Farley Secret Recipe of Fajitah Goodness."  
  
"Secret Recipe of Fajitah Goodness?" Rory asked amused.  
  
"Well it is good isn't it?" Kathryn shot back playfully.  
  
Rory took another bite and nodded. She said, not before swallowing, "It's not good, it's delicious."  
  
"And someday it'll be passed down to me." Tristan said dreamily and then he laughed. "But for now I can only have them when Mom feels like making them."  
  
"You don't know the recipe yet?" Rory asked.  
  
Kathryn shook her head, "Of course he doesn't. He's not near responsible enough to hold such a thing. I'll tell him when he's eighteen, same as me."  
  
"Is this a family tradition thing?" Rory said finishing hers off not noticing the winks that passed between Tristan and his mother.  
  
"For over a hundred years." Kathryn said.  
  
"How did this become a tradition in an Irish family?" Rory asked amused. "Well, you look Irish anyway." Rory said to Kathryn.  
  
"One of my great-great uncles brought it in to the family. He was Mexican, or something." Kathryn secretly grinned at Tristan. "But if I told you anymore I'd have to kill you."  
  
Later on, after dinner was over and eaten Tristan was about to bring Rory to her grandparents.  
  
"Thank you for dinner." Rory said to Kathryn.  
  
"No problem." Kathryn said and embraced a confused Rory. "I'm sorry about your mother." Kathryn pulled away and looked Rory in the eye. "I hope you feel better soon."  
  
"Thanks." Rory murmured, surprised at Kathryn's sudden embrace but grateful all the same.  
  
Tristan and Rory left and on the way there he said, "You do know that my Mom was pulling your leg about the whole secret recipe thing, right?"  
  
"She was?" Rory asked surprised. "I didn't know."  
  
"Yeah, fajitahs are really easy to make. I don't even mess them up."  
  
"So that whole thing about her great-great-great uncle wasn't true?"  
  
"Well, actually my Uncle Fred was the first to make it and it's been a favorite ever since." Tristan grinned.  
  
Rory laughed, "I should have known."  
  
'I still can't believe you've never had them before."  
  
Rory shrugged, "We never really cooked anything at home, we always went to Luke's practically every night for a burger. My Mom used to say." Rory trailed off, the past tense freezing her tongue.  
  
Tristan glanced at her sympathetically, "You'll have to come over again the next time we have it." Changing the subject.  
  
Rory nodded, something was pulling at her heart. "I'll take your word on that."  
  
He pulled into her driveway, "See you tomorrow then?"  
  
"Yeah. Thanks for everything." She closed the door and walked to the door.  
  
Tristan waited until she was inside, like he did every other time, and then pulled away.  
  
* * *  
  
Where was she?  
  
Tristan stared out into the courtyard, his eyes searching for her. Where was she?  
  
He had seen her in the classes they had together today, she was definitely here today. It was already 3:30, they got our of school at 3:00. She would've told him if she had gotten a different ride home. Maybe she was talking to a teacher.  
  
Tristan walked back into the school, looking into random classrooms searching for her. All of them were empty. The library! Maybe she lost track of time reading a book.  
  
He started for the library walking quickly, something wasn't right. He could feel it. He scanned the library hastily, but found no Rory. He walked to the back of the library where he often went to find solitude, not many people went there. That's when he saw her.  
  
She was hunched over in one of the many leather seats. Her whole body was shaking with bitter sobs, her hands covered her face. Her long brown hair was wept forward covering the sides of her face.  
  
"Rory." Tristan breathed. Something stung his heart and it hurt. He moved to her quickly, she didn't even notice him, just went on crying. He sat down next to her and then she did lift her head only to turn it away ashamed. "Rory." He said again he reached out to touch but she flinched.  
  
He bit his lip frustrated. She wasn't going to pull away from him. He gathered her into his arms and let her cry. At first she stiffened at his touch but eventually relaxed against him. She burrowed her head into his shoulder while the tears came.  
  
"It's okay, it's okay." He whispered into her ear as he rubbed her back.  
  
She clung to him, "Tris.Tristan?" It was hard to catch her breath  
  
"I'm here." He kissed her hair softly and brought her closer to him. He held her until her sobs subsided into small tears.  
  
When only a few tears coursed down her cheeks, Rory gulped in breaths of air greedily. "I'm.I'm sorry." She tried fruitlessly to wipe her still falling tears.  
  
"It's okay." He repeated.  
  
"I just miss her so much." Rory said into his shoulder.  
  
"I know, I know." Tristan stroked her long, silky hair.  
  
She pulled away and wiped the last of her tears away with the back of her hand. "Everything is so different."  
  
"It can never be the same again." He looked straight at her. Blue on blue.  
  
"I know, and that's why I hate it so much." She balled her hands in frustration. "I haven't been back in three weeks and neither grandma or grandpa will take me. It hurts them too much." She sighed, "But I miss everyone so much, and it makes everything harder."  
  
Tristan realized what she was talking about, "You want to go home?"  
  
She looked at him, her eyes full of appreciation that he understood her. "Yeah." She whispered it. "I need them because.because they knew her. Everyone here just sees her as my mother or Emily Gilmore's daughter, they didn't really know her at all." She forced a smile. "They don't understand. But you do."  
  
He only squeezed her hands, "I'll take you today."  
  
Her eyes widened, "You will?"  
  
"Yeah, I will." He stood up and offered her his hand.  
  
She took it and stood up next to him, "Okay."  
  
Their hands never parted as they made their way to his car. 


	4. Belonging

"Stop here." Rory pointed to a hardware store.  
  
Tristan grinned, "Need a screw?"  
  
She glared at him, "So much for being nice."  
  
"No, but seriously, why are we going to a hardware store?" He asked curiously.  
  
"It's a diner, not a hardware store." She climbed out of the car staring at the building. Tears formed in her eyes.  
  
"You okay?" Tristan looked at her concerned.  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay." Rory took a deep breath and walked towards the diner with Tristan following her. She hadn't been here since the morning of the accident, she hadn't wanted to be. But now that she'd been away for three weeks she missed everything about it. The pancakes. The hamburgers. Luke's cookies. Luke himself. Jess.  
  
She looked back and gave Tristan a smile, he smiled back. She was glad he was here.  
  
She slowly walked into the diner with Tristan closely behind.  
  
The bell rang behind Rory, she glanced toward the counter to see Jess look up at her.  
  
Jess stared at Rory for a moment and then grinned, "Well, look who finally turned up!" He walked out from behind the counter.  
  
Rory walked to him, "Jess." They hugged each other hard, never wanting to let go. "I've missed you so much." She whispered to him.  
  
"Me too." He replied in her ear. He pulled away, "Why didn't you come sooner?" Hurt swirled in his eyes.  
  
"I wanted to, but I just couldn't get here."  
  
"I understand." And he hugged her again. "Just don't be a stranger." When they finally let go of each other, he asked, "Who brought you?"  
  
Rory finally remembered Tristan and gestured to him, "Tristan did."  
  
Tristan nodded from where he had stood uncomfortably and watched the scene play out. He recognized Jess from the wake where he had held Rory's hand. He felt something surge through him.  
  
Jealousy.  
  
"Jess, this is Tristan. Tristan this is Jess." Rory introduced them to each other.  
  
Jess looked Tristan up and down, "How's it going?" He stuck out his hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you." Tristan shook his hand, both grips were vice like.  
  
Rory watched them uncertainly as they surveyed each other. "Where's Luke?" She asked.  
  
Just as she said it Luke walked out of the kitchen, "Rory?"  
  
She spun around, "Hey!" She went behind the counter and hugged him.  
  
"Where've ya been?" Luke asked, concern flooding his eyes.  
  
She shrugged, "I didn't know if I'd be able to come back, and then I missed everything . . ." She trailed off.  
  
Luke smiled at her and ruffled her hair, understanding. He looked up and noticed Tristan, "Who are you?"  
  
'I'm Tristan, sir." Tristan walked forward and offered his hand across the counter.  
  
Luke stared at it uncertainly and finally shook it. "Did you drive her here?" He asked suspiciously, looking Tristan up and down just as Jess did.  
  
"Yes, I did." Tristan answered unsure of what to make of the man in front of him.  
  
"How long have you had your license? You do have one, right?" Luke grilled him.  
  
"Yes, I've had it for a year now."  
  
"Any accidents?"  
  
"One fender bender."  
  
"Whose fault was it?"  
  
"Well, partly mine."  
  
"Partly yours? What does that mean?"  
  
Before Tristan answered Rory interrupted, "Okay Luke, enough with the grilling. He's not a cheeseburger."  
  
"Well, I guess he'll do." Luke glared at him once more and then turned to Rory. "What'll it be? The usual?"  
  
Rory fidgeted, 'Actually, I'll just have a glass of water. I'm not very hungry." She looked down while Jess and Luke just stared at her.  
  
"Come again?" Jess asked astonished.  
  
Rory shrugged, "I'm just not hungry."  
  
Jess was about to say something when Luke beat him to it, "Alright, one glass of water coming up."  
  
"Anything for you?" Luke said in the direction of Tristan who had taken a seat by Rory.  
  
"I'm good, thanks." Tristan answered.  
  
Luke placed a glass of water in front of Rory and went to attend other customers.  
  
Jess also took a seat beside Rory, "So, are you going to see the whole town today, or just a quick visit?"  
  
"I'm going to see a few people, Lane, Sookie, Dean, maybe Babette." Rory said.  
  
Both Jess and Tristan darkened when Dean was mentioned.  
  
"Don't know why you want to see that asshole." Jess scowled fiercely.  
  
"Jess, we've been through this." Rory sighed and sipped her water.  
  
"I know but that doesn't mean I have to like him." Jess shot back.  
  
"You don't mind, do you Tristan, going to visit a few people?" Rory asked ignoring Jess's raging eyes.  
  
"No, I don't have much homework tonight anyway." Tristan said.  
  
"Are you going to the house?" Jess almost whispered it.  
  
"Maybe later I think." Rory bit her lip and took a long gulp of her water.  
  
"Well, let me know when you do. I would walk around everywhere else with you, but I have to work." Jess slid of the stool, he took one of her hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze. 'See you later." And he walked through the back door into the kitchen.  
  
Rory finished off the rest of her water, "You ready?" She asked Tristan.  
  
"Yeah." He walked out of the diner with her and into Stars Hollow.  
  
Walking the streets of Stars Hollow Rory and Tristan ended up seeing a lot more people then she had planned on. But she had expected that. They ran into Kirk, Taylor, Michele and Ms. Patty. All of them, including Michele, shed a few tears when they shared words and embraces with Rory. It was almost too much for her.  
  
"Rory!" A voice called from behind them as they walked through the park.  
  
Rory whirled around and smiled, "Lane!" She ran to her and they embraced.  
  
"I heard you were here!" Lane said when they parted.  
  
"Word does travel fast in this town, I was just on my way to see you!" Rory said.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Lane asked.  
  
Rory shrugged, "It was kinda last minute, Tristan brought me." As she said this Tristan stepped forward. "Lane this is Tristan, Tristan this is my very best friend Lane."  
  
Lane eyed him warily, "Hello." She gave Rory a look, "I thought we didn't like him." She whispered softly, but not softly enough.  
  
"When did this happen?" Tristan asked raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Don't worry. He's not evil anymore." Rory reassured Lane.  
  
Lane finally smiled, "Good, but we can still call him bible boy right?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"What?" Tristan exclaimed, "Who made up that name?"  
  
"Lorelai did of course, because you called Rory Mary." Lane rambled on, "It was so funny, she said . . ." Lane stopped abruptly. She blushed, "Sorry." She whispered.  
  
Rory looked surprised, "Lane, it's okay! It's not like we can't talk about her." But then she changed the subject, "We're going to Luke's and then my house. Want to tag alone?"  
  
Lane brightened, "Yeah, sure. I told my mom I'd be out with you for awhile anyway."  
  
The trio made their way back to the diner and stepped inside.  
  
Rory leaned against the counter, "We're going over now, Jess." She said to the dark haired boy who was refilling ketchup bottles.  
  
"Great, there's not much going on here anyway." He walked to the kitchen door and leaned in. "Luke, I'm going over with Rory now. Be back in an hour." When Luke gave his consent Jess joined the girls and Tristan. "Alright, let's go."  
  
They slowly made their way down a familiar path to Rory's house.  
  
"So, what are you going to do?" Jess finally asked the question that had been bugging him.  
  
"I'm keeping it." Rory said assertively.  
  
"Your grandparents tried to talk you out of it?" Lane asked.  
  
Rory nodded and sighed, "Yeah, but I wouldn't give in. It's my home." The foursome reached the front lawn of the house and stared at it. "I grew up here, I can't just sell it."  
  
"It's yours?" Tristan asked.  
  
Rory walked up to it and went inside. "All mine."  
  
* * *  
  
Tristan lay on his bed staring up at his ceiling, he thought about the day gone by. Moonlight streamed across his bed, illuminating his face. He remembered Jess's words.  
  
"Don't hurt her. If you do I'll fucking kill you."  
  
Yup, Rory was definitely loved in that town.  
  
Jess had brought him aside when they went into Rory's house. His face had been hard and serious when he had uttered those words. Tristan knew Jess meant what he said, and he had no intention of hurting Rory. Ever. He just wanted to love her.  
  
Tristan knew that now, he had never gotten over her at military school. It had just gotten worse. He remembered the gut wrenching feeling that had ripped through him when he had seen Rory crying today. It was not a nice one. He couldn't stand to see her hurting.  
  
He turned over and tried fruitlessly to fall asleep. How did she manage to do this to him? No other girl ever had. He wasn't used to it, her face kept appearing in his mind, tormenting him. But he couldn't tell her how he felt yet, it was too soon. But he would, one day he 


	5. Don't leave

"So where do you go on Fridays anyway?" Rory asked curiously leaning up against the locker next to Tristan's. It was two weeks later on a Friday, Rory was getting a ride home for her grandmother.  
  
Tristan shrugged, "Around." He stuffed more books into his bad.  
  
"Where's around?" Rory persisted.  
  
Tristan turned and looked at her, "Mary, I know your going to miss me but you'll get over it someday, okay?" He closed his locker as Rory rolled her eyes.  
  
"I am not going to miss you."  
  
"Yes you will." Tristan walked down the hallway with Rory at his heels.  
  
"Will not."  
  
"Will too."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Yup."  
  
"We sound like four year olds, let's just stop okay?"  
  
"You started it."  
  
"Did not!"  
  
"Did too!"  
  
"Okay, fine, jeez. I'll miss you, happy now?" Rory said defeated.  
  
"Now that wasn't so hard was it?" Tristan asked.  
  
Rory scowled at him, "You changed the subject, I always fall for that!" She said angered.  
  
"I know, I'm good."  
  
Rory stopped walking and turned to Tristan, she grabbed his sleeve to stop him. "Seriously though, what do you do on Fridays"  
  
"Stuff." "What kind of stuff?"  
  
"All kinds."  
  
"Ugh! Tristan!."  
  
"Okay, okay I'll tell you. You never stop do you?"  
  
"Nope, so what is it that you do?"  
  
"Itakecareofmylittlecousins." Tristan said in a rush.  
  
"Huh?" Rory said confused. "What was that?"  
  
Tristan sighed, "I take care of my little cousins."  
  
"You do?" Rory's eyes widened. "I didn't know you liked little kids!"  
  
"Well, I like these ones." Tristan began walking again.  
  
Rory caught up with him, "Do you bring them places or something?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How old are they? How many are there? What are their names?" Rory spat out questions. She had so many. This was a side of Tristan that she'd never seen before.  
  
"Clara's eight, and so is Aden. They're twins." They reached his car.  
  
"Oh! Twins!" Rory said excitedly. "I want to meet them!"  
  
"Well, you can't." Tristan threw his bag into his car.  
  
Rory looked hurt, "Why not?"  
  
"You can't meet them today, next week." Tristan opened the car door and climbed in. "But right now you have to go. Your grandma's here." He pointed to Emily Gilmore's car which was down the parking lot.  
  
Rory's eyes followed his fingers, "Oh, right! Okay, see you Monday." Rory ran to the car.  
  
Tristan smiled as he pulled out of the parking lot, he was already looking forward to next Friday.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey, babe. Wake up!"  
  
Rory groggily opened her eyes, the sun streamed on to her face, warm and friendly. Home, she was home. "It's too early."  
  
"Oh, come on! I want coffee and I just might leave without you!"  
  
Rory flew up, "No, don't leave me!"  
  
"Well, then hurry up and get dressed."  
  
Rory watched Lorelai bounce around her room, "Mom?"  
  
She turned to her, "Yeah?" Her blue eyes twinkled.  
  
"Am I dreaming?"  
  
"Yeah sweetie, you are." Lorelai sat on the edge of her bed.  
  
"Oh." Rory stared at her mother, tears formed in her eyes. "But I don't want to wake up."  
  
"You have to of course." Lorelai stood up. "I'm leaving, you're taking too long."  
  
Rory scrambled out of bed, "No, wait I'll be ready in just a second."  
  
"Too late." Lorelai walked out of the room.  
  
"No! Don't leave me! Mom!" Rory ran out the door but her mom wasn't there. "Mommy, don't leave me!" Rory searched all of the rooms, but they were all empty. Tears steamed down her face, "Mom, mom!" She ran outside searching, only to find herself at her grandparents front door, not her own.  
  
"MOM!!" Rory screamed as she flew up in bed. She looked around, her breath came in short sobs.  
  
She wasn't home. There was no warm sunshine on her face, no bright blue eyes to wake up to, no smell of coffee wafting from the kitchen.  
  
She wasn't home.  
  
She began crying, holding her face in her hands. It was only a dream. Just a dream.  
  
But it was so real.  
  
Rory laid back down, still weeping, "Where are you?" She whispered into the cold dark room. "Come back, please, come back." 


	6. The trouble with twins

It was Friday again and Rory trudged down the hallway. She had the dream against last night. It hurt so bad.  
  
Would it ever go away?  
  
No, probably not. She would never stop missing her.  
  
"Hey." Tristan showed up beside her.  
  
"Hi." Rory said, somewhat detached.  
  
Something was wrong and Tristan noticed it right away. "What's wrong?" He asked.  
  
Rory tried her best to cheer up, "Nothing."  
  
"What is it?" Her fake smile didn't get past Tristan.  
  
She sighed, "Nothing, it's nothing." She persisted.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Alright." Tristan put an arm around her shoulder, "So are we still on for today?"  
  
"Yep." Rory really did brighten this time, "I can't wait to meet your cousins!"  
  
"They can't wait to meet you either." Tristan said.  
  
"You told them about me?" Rory asked looking up at him.  
  
"Yeah, I told them you were coming today. I didn't want to show up with a complete stranger."  
  
"Makes sense." They reached the classroom. "Only six more classes until freedom."  
  
They walked to their desks and sat down, Tristan said, "Only?"  
  
But the rest of the day didn't go by as slow as Tristan initially thought it would. Six classes later they were on their way to Tristan's car.  
  
"We have about a forty five minute drive, just to forewarn you." Tristan said as they clambered into the car.  
  
"Don't worry, I brought a book!" Rory held up one of her favorites, The Catcher In the Rye.  
  
"What, my conversation isn't good enough for you?" Tristan asked indignantly as they pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
"It's okay I guess," Rory said thoughtfully. "But it's not as good as J.D Salinger."  
  
"Oh, I see how it is."  
  
But Rory didn't end up reading much of her book, They ended up talking almost the whole car ride.  
  
Rory looked out the window, surprised. "It looks like were on out way to Stars Hollow."  
  
"We are kind of. Stars Hollow is only like two minutes from the town they live in."  
  
Then they started talking about Stars Hollow and the crazy people that lived there and Tristan brought up a question that he had been longing to ask for awhile. "What happened between you and Dean that makes Jess so bitter?" He asked curiously. "I mean, he hates the guy more then I do."  
  
A look of hurt streaked across Rory's face but quickly disappeared. She knew now how to hide her feelings. "Oh, that." She paused. "It's a long story."  
  
"We have a long car ride." Tristan pointed out.  
  
Rory sighed, "Well, if you really want to hear it."  
  
"I do."  
  
"It all started last year when Jess and I became good friends." Rory began telling the story of the end of her so called loving relationship with Dean. "I can talk to Jess about everything, I could never really do that with Dean. He's not interested in all the things I am, like books. I could talk and debate about books for hours with Jess. And sometimes we did. Dean didn't like that."  
  
Tristan knew that she and Jess were just friends, but he still couldn't help but be envious of their close relationship.  
  
"I guess he's sort of the jealous type, he just couldn't trust me. He thought I was cheating on him. I wasn't, I would never do that to him even if I had wanted to." Rory let the last part slip out.  
  
Tristan raised his eyebrows, "So there was something between you and Jess?"  
  
Rory blushed, "At one point I guess there was. He was so different from Dean, he understood me like Dean couldn't. I couldn't help but feel something for him. But I never acted upon those feelings, as small as they were."  
  
"Did he?"  
  
Again a pink color descended onto Rory's cheeks, "Not until after the breakup, but I'll get to that part later." Rory fidgeted with her book, flipping threw pages randomly. "Since Dean thought I was cheating on him he decided to get back at me. He cheated on me."  
  
"Bastard." Tristan muttered.  
  
Rory shot him a look but continued. "I found out. Needless to say it wasn't pretty. He finally figured out that I was never cheating on him in the first place and the whole thing was his fault. He begged me to stay together even after the trust was gone. I forgave him, but I couldn't be with him. That pretty much sums it up."  
  
"What about the part with Jess?" Tristan persisted.  
  
"Oh, well we kinda kissed after I broke up with Dean. Needless to say I felt like I was kissing my brother, he felt the same way. He's just a friend, it could never be anything more." Rory shrugged. "So there's my personal life in a nut shell."  
  
"No wonder Jess hates Dean so much." Tristan mused.  
  
"Oh, don't be a "Jess", I can't believe he's still so bitter." Rory shook her head. "There's no reason to be, it was between me and Dean. I forgave him and now we're on friendship terms. There's no reason to be angry anymore."  
  
"You're way too mellow. I would hate the guy if I were you" Tristan finally pulled into his cousins driveway.  
  
"And thank God you're not me." Rory said, she stared at the small brick house surrounded by flowers. "Are we here?" She breathed.  
  
"Yeah, this is it." They both got out of the car.  
  
The small, brick house was surrounded by flowers in every shape and colors imaginable. Bright, yellow daises stuck up from the ground in an indignant manner, lavender lilies sprung from the soft soil, and roses stemmed the ground creating a fragrant breeze.  
  
Rory looked around her amazed, "This is amazing." She stopped to smell a lilac. "Who does all this?"  
  
"My Aunt Di, she's a definite flower power freak." When Rory gave him a surprised look he added, "Both my aunt and uncle were hippies back in the day."  
  
They walked up to the door which Tristan opened and they walked in. "We're here." He called into the warmly furnished house.  
  
Rory looked around, they were in the family room now. Toys were strewn in random places, books were piled on the tables, and favorite videos were left out to watch a fiftieth time. It reminded her of her own home.  
  
"Tristan!" A small boy ran into the room and straight into Tristan's arms. "You're finally here!"  
  
Tristan scooped him up and placed him on his shoulders, "Finally? I'm here the same time as I was last week."  
  
"No, you're ten minutes later." The little boy declared from atop his shoulders. "Mom's been teaching me and Clara how to tell time." He was small for his age with bright blue eyes, that looked a lot like Tristan's, his hair was jet black and falling over his face.  
  
"Is she? Well that's great." Tristan turned to Rory. "Aden, I want you to meet my friend Rory, Rory this is my little cus Aden."  
  
"I'm not little!" Aden said indignantly but he stuck out a small hand. "Hi." He said rather shyly.  
  
Rory reached up and shook his small hand in hers, "It's nice to meet you."  
  
Tristan asked, "Where's your sister?"  
  
"She's coming." Aden said knowingly.  
  
All of a sudden a girl came scrambling into the room, "Helloooo!" She ran to Tristan and grabbed his legs. "Guess what I did today?" She didn't wait for Tristan to answer. "I learned how to tell time and then I played in the sandbox and then Aden stole my baseball but I got it back and then we cut my Barbie's hair and dyed it with food coloring but don't tell mom because she says were not supposed to destoy stuff. So don't tell her okay?" The girl looked up at Tristan trustfully. She was almost an exact replica of her brother expect she had long black hair pulled back into a slightly lopsided pony tail, her blue eyes sparkled with child mischief and freckles were sprinkled across her nose.  
  
Tristan was about to answer when a voice sounded from the doorway, "I already found out missy."  
  
In the doorway was a woman who looked very much like her children. She held a Barbie with only one leg and shaved green hair, she looked toward Tristen, "Hey Tristan."  
  
"Hi Aunt Di." Tristan said.  
  
The girl's eyes widened, "Aden did it." She pointed to her brother.  
  
"I did not!" Aden denied. "She said Barbie's were bad and we should cut their hair, I only helped a little."  
  
"Clara, how many times have I told you not to do this to your dolls?" Diana Clemmens put her hands on her hips and glared at her daughter.  
  
"But I don't like them!" Clara protested.  
  
"That doesn't matter. How would your grandma fell knowing that you deprecated her present to you?" Diana said.  
  
"But, but I didn't depecate it! I just made it look pretty!" Clara said looking at the ground.  
  
Diana struggled not to smile, "Okay, but next time you make it look pretty don't pull of it's leg." She looked at her son, "That goes for you too Aden."  
  
Aden nodded fearfully.  
  
Diana turned to Rory and offered her hand, "Hello, I'm Diana Clemmens, Tristan's aunt. You must be Rory."  
  
"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Clemmens." Rory said politely shaking her hand.  
  
"Just call me Diana or Di preferably." She tossed the mangled Barbie aside. "So where are you guys going today?"  
  
Tristan's eyes sparkled, "It's a surprise."  
  
"Ohh, a surprise!" Clara clapped her hands together, she then stared up at Rory. "Who are you?"  
  
Rory leaned down next to her so she was eye level, "I'm Rory, Tristan's friend." She held out her hand.  
  
Clara took it with both hands and shook it enthusiastically, "Tristan said you were really, really pretty!"  
  
"He did, did he?" Rory smiled and shot a look at Tristan who blushed slightly.  
  
"Yep! And he said that you were coming with us today. Are you?" Clara asked hopefully.  
  
"Well, duh! Of course she's coming, why else would she be here?" Aden said from Tristan's shoulders.  
  
"Shut up Aden!" Clara yelled.  
  
"I am coming with you guys today." Rory said standing back up.  
  
"Oh, good." Clara hugged her legs, she was obviously a very out going girl.  
  
"Alight you guys, make sure your good for Tristan." Diana went to a closet and took out two small jackets.  
  
"We will!" Clara and Aden chimed together. "JINX!" They said again at the same time. They glared at each other, quiet.  
  
"Finally!" Diana said putting a jean jacket on Clara, "They won't talk for awhile now." She winked at Rory. "Okay Aden come down now and put your jacket on."  
  
Tristan helped Aden climb down off his shoulders. He silently put his jacket on.  
  
"You guys have fun while I'm at work." Diana said putting on her own jacket. "Thanks for doing this again Tristan." She said meaningfully.  
  
"No problem." Tristan answered.  
  
Fifteen minutes later they were on their way, Tristan and Rory in the front while Aden and Clara sat quietly in the back.  
  
"How long will they do this for?" Rory asked Tristan.  
  
"Until the other talks." Tristan glanced at them through the rearview mirror. "Usually Clara cracks first." He whispered.  
  
Rory laughed, "I'm sure she would, I've never heard so many words out of a little girls mouth before. I can't believe she ruined her Barbie like that." Roy added.  
  
Tristan grinned, "She's a huge tomboy. She loves baseball and plays in the dirt." He glanced back again, "Isn't that right Clara? You love baseball and dirt?" He said to Clara a little louder.  
  
She just smiled at Tristan and shot her brother a look who was looking on carefully.  
  
"I wonder if they'll ever talk again." Rory mused.  
  
"Oh they will, once they see where we're going." Tristan said.  
  
"Where are we going?" Rory asked again hopefully.  
  
"Oh you'll see, we're almost there in fact." His eyes sparkled with mischief.  
  
Rory folded her arms across her chest, "You're mean." She stared out the window. All of a sudden she sat up straight, her eyes glowed with surprise and happiness. "We're in Stars Hollow!" She yelled happily.  
  
"Thought you'd never guess." Tristan said turning into the main part of the town. "We're going to the carnival, I saw the signs the last time we were here."  
  
"Yay! We're going to a carnival!" Clara yelled happily and then clamped her hand over her mouth.  
  
"You lost!" Aden exclaimed. "I won, I won!"  
  
Clara only scowled at him and then said to Tristan, "Are we gunna go on rides?"  
  
"Definitely." Tristan said pulling into a parking space for the carnival.  
  
"Are we gunna go on the big ones?" She asked hopefully, her eyes gleaming.  
  
"If you want to."  
  
"No!" Aden cried out. "I don't like the big rides."  
  
"You're such a baby." Clara rolled her eyes.  
  
"Don't worry Aden, I don't either." Rory helped him out of the car. "You can stay with me when they go on."  
  
Aden grinned up at her, "Okay." He stuck his tongue out at Clara who stuck hers out back.  
  
"They're crazy! Aren't they Clara?" Tristan asked Clara as he grabbed her hand.  
  
Clara nodded wildly, "Who wouldn't like big rides anyway?"  
  
While Tristan and Clara went on all the rides, Rory walked around with Aden and played games. Turns out he had a very hard throw.  
  
"That's another set of bottles knocked down!" The game tender said looking flabbergasted. Hardly anyone ever won this game much less a little boy. "You can pick a bigger toy now."  
  
Aden scrunched up his face and scanned the toys. "Which one do you like, Rory?" He turned to her.  
  
"Hmm." Rory also scanned the booth for a good toy. "That stuffed elephant is pretty cute."  
  
Aden's face brightened, "Okay! I want the elephant!" He said to the booth tender.  
  
The man gave him the stuffed animal. Aden shyly held out the toy to Rory, "Here I got it for you."  
  
"Oh! Aden, you don't have to give that to me!" Rory said, what a sweet boy!  
  
"But you're supposed to! They always do in the movies." Aden shoved it into her hands.  
  
Rory smiled, "Thank you Aden." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. He would only get upset if she didn't accept it. "So where'd you learn to throw like that?" She asked as they walked away from the booth.  
  
Aden shrugged, "Baseball, I'm the pitcher."  
  
"Wow! You must be the best pitcher they have!" Rory exclaimed.  
  
Aden beamed shyly, "I'm okay I guess."  
  
"I'd say you're more then okay."  
  
"Clara says I'm going to pitch for the Mets someday and she's going to be their number one hitter. They're our favorite team! What's your favorite team?" Aden asked curiously.  
  
"Well, I've never really been into sports been but since you like the Mets then I will too."  
  
Aden grabbed her hand and looked up at her, "Tristan was right, you are pretty." And then he blushed.  
  
"Oh, thank you!" Rory hugged him and then they resumed walking.  
  
"Aden!" Clara came running up from behind them. "Oh my gosh! You should have come one! We went sooo fast!" Clara danced about in front of them. "We went on twice too because the line was so short, Tristan was scared but I wasn't at all! I held his hand though just to be nice because I am a good cousin."  
  
Rory turned around when she heard Tristan say, "Good thing you were there or I never would've been able to go on!" Tristan smiled and winked at Rory, "So what'd you guys do?"  
  
Rory held out her stuffed elephant, "Look what Aden won for me at the bottle booth! He has quite an arm!"  
  
"Aden has the best pitch ever!" Clara threw an arm around her brothers shoulders. "He has the best arm in the WHOLE league! And he's going to pitch for the Mets someday and we're gunna beat the gosh darn Yankees once and for all." She kissed her brothers cheek and hopped about.  
  
Aden just shrugged, "It wasn't that hard."  
  
"Yeah right! I can't even knock those cans over!" Tristan said amazed.  
  
Aden dug his toes into the ground and then looked up for his sister, wanting to change the subject. "Clara how was that ride again?"  
  
But Clara wasn't listening, she was staring at the Stars Hollow gazebo where Ms. Patty's dancers were putting on a tap dance. "What are they doing?" She asked mesmerized.  
  
"They're dancing of course." Aden answered, he couldn't understand what was so great about a tap dance. When did Clara become interested in dancing anyway?  
  
"Wow, can we watch them?" Clara began walking towards them.  
  
Tristan watched her astounded, "Aden, when did Clara start liking dancing?"  
  
"I didn't know she did." Aden shook his head also amazed. "Can we go on the Ferris wheel now?"  
  
"Yeah, in just a second." Tristan said.  
  
Rory walked up beside Clara who was still staring, fascinated. "Do you like dancing?"  
  
Clara glanced up at her, "I didn't think so but this is pretty cool."  
  
"You know you could learn how to do that if you wanted to." Rory said looking on with her. "Really?" Clara looked up at her hopefully.  
  
"Yeah, you see that woman over there?" Rory pointed to Ms. Patty who was standing by the gazebo instructing the girls whenever they needed help. "She teaches it."  
  
"Can I do it too?!" Clara asked excited.  
  
"We'll talk to your mom about it, okay? But for now why don't we go on the Ferris wheel."  
  
"Okay, lets go!" Clara took her hand and led her back to Tristan and Aden. "We're going on the Ferris wheel."  
  
Rory and Clara ended up sitting together on the Ferris wheel.  
  
"Do you like my cousin?" Clara asked as they reached the top.  
  
"Yes, I like Tristan a lot. He's a very good friend."  
  
"No. I mean do you like him, like him." Clara looked at Rory, her eyebrows raised.  
  
"I might. But don't tell him that." Rory smiled down at her.  
  
"I won't, I promise." Clara stuck out her pinkie, "Pinkie swear." Rory hooked pinkies with her. "Now we have to spit."  
  
"Spit?"  
  
"It's part of the pinkie swear." Clara said plainly. So they spat out the side of the cart. Rory hoped it didn't land on anyone.  
  
"I didn't know you had to spit." Rory said when they were done.  
  
"Me and Aden made that part up, it made it less girly. But my Mom gets mad when we do it in the house." Clara looked up at Rory. "Would your Mom let you do it in the house? Because Mom says other children don't do it in the house, but I said maybe they did. So does she?"  
  
Rory winced and her throat closed, "I don't think my Mom would've liked it much either."  
  
"How come we haven't seen your Mom yet? Don't you live here?"  
  
While they were in the carnival Rory had seen many of the Stars Hollow townies who had all been introduced to Clara and Aden. They obviously weren't going to seen Lorelai. "I used to live here." Rory said slowly.  
  
"How come you don't anymore?" Clara asked full of curiosity.  
  
"Because I live with my grandparents now." Rory answered as best she could.  
  
"But why? What about your Mom? Does she live by herself now?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Does she live with you?"  
  
"No." Does this kid ever stop?  
  
"Then where is she?"  
  
"She's not here anymore."  
  
"Where'd she go?"  
  
"Away." Don't cry, don't cry.  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Because she died." There, she said it.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Clara didn't speak for the rest of the ride but she held onto Rory's hand tightly. 


	7. So close

"Who's Rory talking to?" Aden asked.  
  
"She's talking to Jess, one of her friends." Tristan said looking over at Rory who was talking to Jess animatedly at the end of counter.  
  
"Oh." Aden looked back at his menu, "I'm going to get a cheeseburger."  
  
"Okay, what do you want Clara?" Tristan asked the girl siting next to him.  
  
"I'll have a cheeseburger too please." Clara said putting down her menu. As Clara said this Rory came back over with Jess in tow.  
  
"Hey guys." Rory said. She gestured to Jess, "This is my friend Jess, Jess this is Clara and Aden, Tristan's twin cousins."  
  
Aden piped up, "Hello."  
  
Clara jumped out of her stool, "Hi!" She grabbed his hand and shook it.  
  
Jess laughed, "Hey there." Then he nodded at Tristan, "How's it going?"  
  
"Great, you?"  
  
Jess shrugged, "I'm working on carnival night."  
  
Tristan nodded understandingly.  
  
"It was nice meeting you two." Jess grinned at the twins. "But I have to get back to work."  
  
"Why?" Clara asked.  
  
"So I make your food of course!" Jess said.  
  
"Oh, then it's okay." Clara hopped back on her stool.  
  
Jess hugged Rory before he went and said, "Call me later." He then went back to work in the kitchen.  
  
Rory looked around, the diner was packed tonight, and everyone from the carnival was stopping here to eat dinner.  
  
"So what are you guys getting?" Rory asked.  
  
"Cheeseburgers!" Clara and Aden said in unison.  
  
"JINX!"  
  
"JINX!"  
  
"Ah! I won!" Aden cried. "You can't talk until I say your name."  
  
"So did you have fun today?" Tristan asked Rory.  
  
"Cara . . ."  
  
"Absolutely. I love your cousins."  
  
"Sarah . . ."  
  
"I love hanging out with them even if they're a handful."  
  
"Mara . . ."  
  
"I'm coming next Friday too I've decided."  
  
"Tara . . ."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Carla . . ."  
  
"Yup."  
  
'So what do you guys want?"  
  
Four heads jerked up to see a man in a flannel shirt and a backward hat on.  
  
"Hey Luke." Rory said.  
  
"Hey Rory, how's it going?" Luke asked tapping his pan on the notepad.  
  
"Not so bad, you?"  
  
"Same. So what'll it be?"  
  
"I'll have a cheeseburger please. And so will she." Aden pointed at Clara who nodded in return.  
  
"I'll have one too." Tristan said.  
  
Luke turned to Rory as he wrote everything down.  
  
"I'll have a hamburger."  
  
"Coffee?" "Just water please."  
  
Luke looked up at her and raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything about it. "Alright, shouldn't take too long." And with that he walked to another table to take an order.  
  
"He's wearing a Yankees hat." Clara declared.  
  
"You talked! I win again!" Aden laughed, "Now you have to do my chores for the next TWO nights."  
  
Clara sighed, "Fine." And then she looked at Luke. "Does he like the Yankees?"  
  
"Yes, they're Luke's favorite baseball team." Rory answered.  
  
Clara scowled, "Stupid Yankees." She muttered.  
  
After they had eaten their food Clara struck up a conversation with Luke as he passed by collecting dirty plates.  
  
"The Yankees stink." Was the first thing she said.  
  
Luke jerked his head up and glared at her, "Rory, why'd you let her in here?"  
  
"Well, they do!"  
  
"And who do you like? The Mets?" Luke grunted sarcastically.  
  
"Yup! They're my most favorite team!"  
  
"They can't even win a World Series, the Yankees have won countless World Series."  
  
Tristan and Rory exchanged glances as Clara had a sparring match about professional baseball with the large man that stood in front of her. She was a brave girl.  
  
* * *  
  
Tristan walked Rory up to her door, "So you had fun tonight?"  
  
Rory grinned, "I had tons of fun." They reached the front door and she turned to him.  
  
"You can't come next Friday." Tristan leaned against the door.  
  
"Oh! Why not?" Rory asked obviously surprised.  
  
"Because I'm not going next Friday, but I've decided you can come next time, I promise." Tristan reasoned with her.  
  
"Oh, how VERY kind of you." Rory said in a mock womanly voice.  
  
"I know, I try." Tristan smiled at her and then got lost in her. Her blue eyes stared back at him, her silky brown hair fell around her face. He leaned in.  
  
Rory closed her eyes and waited.  
  
The door flew open suddenly and they jumped apart.  
  
"Did you have a nice time?" Emily Gilmore stood in the doorway.  
  
"Grandma!" Rory was struck with surprise. Nice timing!  
  
"Yes, that's me." Emily looked at Tristan, "How are you Tristan?"  
  
"Good thank you. How are you?" Tristan answered politely. Oh, why now?  
  
"Just fine. I want to thank you again for bringing Rory home all those times, but you won't have to anymore." Emily said trying to suppress a smile.  
  
"Why not Grandma?" Rory asked puzzled. She wanted Tristan to keep brining her home.  
  
"You'll see." Emily said. "Well, it was nice seeing you again Tristan. Come on in Rory it's getting late."  
  
Rory smiled apologetically at Tristan and followed her grandmother inside, "Bye, see you Monday."  
  
"Goodnight." Tristan said just before the door closed. He walked back to his car slowly. He wouldn't bring Rory home anymore, that was a downfall. Oh, well, there's still next Friday.  
  
He'd almost had it too.  
  
************************************************  
  
"So why can't I bring you home any longer?" Was the first thing Tristan said to Rory on Monday as he leaned against a locker.  
  
"Sheboughtmeacar." Rory mumbled into her locker,  
  
Tristan raised his eyebrows, "What was that?" He leaned in closer to her.  
  
Rory looked up, "I said: She bought me a car." She didn't look very excited.  
  
"And your upset because . . .?" Tristan asked surprised. Who wouldn't be happy to get a car?  
  
Rory sighed and closed her locker, "I don't really know actually. You'd think I'd be jumping for joy, but I'm not." She shrugged her bag onto her shoulders.  
  
"What kind of car is it?" He asked as they walked to class.  
  
"Ford explorer, red." She took the keys out of her bag and jingled them in front of his face. "Aren't they lovely?"  
  
Tristan looked at the key chain, there were two keys. "What's the other one?"  
  
"Oh." Rory looked down at it. "It's for my grandparents house."  
  
Her grandparents house. "It's still not home yet, is it?"  
  
"No. Not at all."  
  
Would it ever be home to Rory? "Well, at least you can visit Stars Hollow more often now." Tristan said looking for ways to cheer her up.  
  
"Yeah, that's a plus." Rory said.  
  
"Don't forget about me now that you have a car though, okay?" Tristan told her seriously.  
  
"Never." Roy said. "Hey, did Clara ask her Mom about joining Ms. Patty's ballet school?"  
  
"Yeah, and she's already called her." Tristan walked with her into the classroom. "She's enlisted, I bet she drops in a month."  
  
"You think so?" Rory asked, she shook her head. "I don't, I bet she sticks with. Clara doesn't seem to be someone to give up on something."  
  
"That's definitely true, but ballet? She rips her Barbie's apart for Christ's sake." Tristan shook his head in amazement. "All of her friends are boys from the baseball team, since she is on an all boys team."  
  
"She is one head strong girl. Those two seem so different."  
  
Tristan shrugged, "But they're really close, won't go anywhere without each other. Don't let they're fighting deceive you, they'd do anything for each other."  
  
"I believe it."  
  
Tristan was about to say something else, but the bell rang and the teacher began the lecture.  
  
Later that day Rory and Tristan sat out in the courtyard together, it was their free period.  
  
"Tristan, why aren't you going to see your cousins next Friday?" She asked.  
  
"Have other plans." Tristan shrugged her off.  
  
"But you never make plans on Fridays, you know you can't."  
  
"Rory, I have other plans okay?" Tristan knitted his eyebrows.  
  
Rory knew what that voice meant: drop it. But she wouldn't. "What other plans? Why won't you tell me?"  
  
"Christ, Rory. I'm going to see my father. Happy now?" Tristan stood up abruptly and began to walk away.  
  
Rory caught up to him, "You don't want to go?"  
  
"Oh no, I love going to see my father. I love it when he tells me that I'm not good enough to hold the DuGrey heir. I'll never amount to anything, and my mothers a God damned bitch who isn't worth anything." Tristan spat out sarcastically. "Oh, yeah I love going there." Tristan walked faster but she kept up with him.  
  
"Tristan." Rory stopped him. She looked at him, her eyes full of concern.  
  
He hung his head, "I'm sorry Rory, I didn't mean to snap at you."  
  
"It's okay, it's good to talk about these things." Rory put her arms around Tristan and did her best to comfort him.  
  
Tristan felt Rory's arms encircle him and he sighed. He slowly embraced her, "I hate him so much sometimes that it scares me."  
  
Rory didn't say anything, just tightened her embrace on him.  
  
"I don't know how he can be my father or how we're even related at all." Tristan held back tears, he had never told anyone this before. "I hate going to see the bastard."  
  
Rory whispered into his ear. "I'm with you, Tristan." 


	8. yet so far

One month later Rory pulled into her grandparents driveway and stepped out of her red Ford Explorer.  
  
She was in a wonderful mood. A glorious, delightful, enchanting, delirious, wonderful mood.  
  
She had just gotten back from a Friday night rendezvous with Tristan and the twins. It had been great. They went to see a movie and then went back to the twins house for dinner where Clara put on a small ballet recital for them.  
  
And then Tristan had kissed her. It took him long enough.  
  
It had been after dinner, she and Tristan had left the house for home. He had stopped her in the midst of millions of flowers, Rory remembered being delirious with their perfumes wafting around them. For a moment she had been a princess in a fairy tale.  
  
Rory walked into the house, her grandmother was waiting for her in the kitchen with a cup of coffee.  
  
"Hi Grandma!" She sat down beside her.  
  
"How was the movie?" Emily asked her granddaughter and then offered her a cup of coffee.  
  
"It was absolutely wonderful!" Rory exclaimed. " And no thank you, it's too late for caffeine."  
  
Emily noticed that Rory always had some excuse not drink coffee, she sighed inwardly. Would Rory ever completely accept her mother's death? "I'm glad you had a good time. You and Tristan seem to be doing everything together lately." Emily said slyly.  
  
Rory blushed slightly, "He's a good friend."  
  
"I'm sure he is, let me know if anything happens." Emily stood up and gave a small yawn, "I'm going to bed now, don't read too late." Emily gave Rory a kiss goodnight.  
  
"Goodnight Grandma." Rory called to Emily's retreating back. A few minutes later she too made her way up to bed.  
  
After Rory had gone trough all of her bed time rituals she finally fell into bed and thought about her kiss with Tristan again.  
  
It had definitely been perfect.  
  
It had been soft and sweet, and the best part is that she didn't cry after it. The kiss had been short but it had sent tingles shooting through her whole body like electricity. She had never felt like that with Dean's kisses, Tristan's were like a whole different experience. It was like she had never even been kissed before.  
  
She struggled to think about the kiss to no avail, she fell softly asleep and her dreams consumed her.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
"More coffee, please."  
  
"Coffee isn't good for you."  
  
"It is now."  
  
"Fine." He poured more and then walked away  
  
Lorelai took a long gulp of her coffee and turned to Rory, "Want any?"  
  
Rory stared at her for a moment and then shook her head.  
  
"Why are you being so weird? Just have some coffee!" Lorelai shoved the coffee cup into Rory's hands.  
  
"I don't want any!" Rory stood up shoving the coffee back at her and spilling the hot liquid all over Lorelai. Lorelai looked down at her wet clothes and then up at Rory, "Why did you do that?"  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to." Rory shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."  
  
"Well you should be. This is a new shirt." But Lorelai made no move to wipe it off.  
  
"You can't have gotten a new shirt!" Rory protested.  
  
Lorelai only raised her eyebrows, "And why is that?"  
  
"Because your DEAD!" Rory screamed pointing at her. "Your dead, your dead, your dead!"  
  
"It is not polite to point even if I am dead."  
  
"I hate you!" Rory dropped her arms and balled her fists.  
  
"You're dreaming again." Lorelai pointed out.  
  
Rory kicked her chair, angered, "Why do I always dream of you?"  
  
"How should I know? They're your dreams not mine."  
  
"Why don't you just leave me alone?"  
  
"Why don't you stop thinking about me?"  
  
* * *  
  
It was Monday and Rory was acting weird again.  
  
Things had been going great for so long and then they had even kissed. Now here she was in a bad mood again, she had been avoiding him all day.  
  
Tristan wished he could figure her out.  
  
It was last period and they had a free and he knew where she was. He would make her tell him what was wrong, she couldn't keep all of her feelings bottled up like this . He found her at the bench in the courtyard, she was staring off into space, her face completely blank. "Rory."  
  
Her head jerked up, "What?" She looked confused, but then she slowly recognized Tristan. "Oh, hey."  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked.  
  
"Oh, it was too crowded in the library and I just want to be . . ." Rory was cut off by Tristan.  
  
"No, Rory, I mean why are you acting like this?" He said obviously frustrated with her.  
  
She looked surprise by his harshness, "I don't know what you mean."  
  
Tristan sighed and sat down next to her, "Yes. Yes you do. Please, Rory just tell what's wrong. Is it me?"  
  
Her eyes widened, "Oh, no Tristan! It's not you! It's never you, you're my friend."  
  
"Then what is it?" He took her hand. "I thought we almost had something going here."  
  
Rory finally smiled at the remembrance of their kiss. It seemed like so long ago that she been so happy. "You don't think we do anymore?"  
  
"I don't know what to think Rory, one minute you want to be with me. The next you're avoiding me." He let go of her hand and sat back on the bench.  
  
"I just didn't feel like talking to anyone today, I wasn't avoiding you."  
  
"Bull shit."  
  
Her eyes widened once again, he never swore at her. "Tristan, why are you acting like this? I didn't do anything!"  
  
"It's been three months Rory! And you still won't open up to anyone! You won't talk to me, you won't talk to Lane or Jess! Damn, I don't know what to do anymore." He shook his head.  
  
"So you've talked to Lane and Jess about me too? What have you had secret little meetings about me behind my back?" Rory shouted at him, her cheeks red with rage.  
  
"They're worried about you, and so am I! What are we supposed to do? Just sit back and watch as you sulk your life away?" Tristan was fuming now.  
  
"I lost my mother Tristan! How am I supposed to act?" her eyes were bright with anger and grief.  
  
Tristan ran his hands angrily through his hair, "Talk about her, do something. You never talk about her! Whenever someone brings her up you immediately change the subject, it's okay to talk about her."  
  
"I do talk about her." Rory protested.  
  
"That's bull shit and you know it!"  
  
"Stop talking to me that way!"  
  
"I won't until you realize that you can't go on with life hiding your emotions. It just doesn't work that way." Tristan stood up too angry to stay still. He began pacing. "The only time you've ever talked about her with me was that time in the library. That was three months ago! You have never opened up to me again. Why is that Rory?"  
  
She didn't respond, just glared at him wishing that she had an answer.  
  
When she stayed silent he said, "I'm done with this." He started to walk away.  
  
Rory watched him go, why did everyone leave her? 


	9. without

She hadn't spoken to him in two weeks. Two whole weeks.  
  
Clara and Aden had called Rory on speaker phone asking her why she hadn't come last Friday.  
  
"We miss you!" Clara and Aden had said at the same time.  
  
But even their jinx didn't stop them from talking to Rory.  
  
"Are you coming to our game on Friday?" Aden had asked.  
  
"I don't know hon."  
  
Clara yelled over the phone, "Please!"  
  
Rory had felt like crying at that point, "We'll see."  
  
"Tristan really misses you."  
  
"He does?"  
  
"Yeah, a lot too. He won't even let us talk about you, he gets all mad." Aden had said.  
  
"Please come Rory. We miss you so much!" Clara had cried over the phone.  
  
After Rory had hung up she had sobbed her eyes out. Why did she screw up everything?  
  
She missed him so much that it hurt. There was this deep pang in her chest that wouldn't go away. And since their fight her nightmares had become even worse, now they happened every night.  
  
She just didn't know what to do anymore.  
  
* * *  
  
School on Friday was miserable. The classes went by horribly slow, and there was no Tristan to help her along.  
  
What hurt the most was that he didn't even look at her in the halls. Whenever she passed him he stared straight ahead, didn't even glance at her.  
  
When she arrived at her locker after fifth period Paris was waiting for her there.  
  
"Hey Paris." She said as she opened her locker.  
  
Paris watched her, "Hey."  
  
"What's up?" Rory asked putting more books into her backpack.  
  
"Would you guys just make up already?"  
  
Rory straightened quickly, "What do you mean?"  
  
Paris rolled her eyes, "You KNOW what I'm talking about Rory. You're miserable without each other."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Anyone could see it."  
  
"Oh." Rory looked at the ground.  
  
Paris put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "He really misses you."  
  
Rory looked up and forced a smile, "And also really pissed."  
  
Paris shrugged, "So apologize."  
  
"It's not that easy."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
But Rory didn't know why not. 


	10. To unburden

Tristan eased back in his lawn chair and watched the baseball game play out before him.  
  
"How's Rory?" Fred Clemmens asked beside him. The twin's father.  
  
Tristan almost winced at Rory's name, but he shrugged it off. "Doing okay."  
  
"Haven't seen her around in awhile." Fred squinted his eyes against the sun. "The twins miss her."  
  
Tristan nodded, "I know."  
  
Fred decided it was a good time to change the subject, "Clara seems to like dance class a whole lot."  
  
"I know, it's great. She put on a tap dance for me today in her baseball uniform." Tristan grinned when he thought of this.  
  
"Ballerina one day and number one hitter for a boys baseball team the next." Fred shook his head in amazement, "I just don't know what to do with that girl."  
  
"Let Aden take care of her."  
  
This time Fred grinned, "Yeah, he's the only one who can really keep her in line. She would be a wild woman if it wasn't for him."  
  
At the end of the baseball game, after Tristan had said good-byes to everyone, he made his way to his car. He was about to open his door when he froze.  
  
There was Rory Gilmore across the parking lot staring at him.  
  
She began to walk over, and Tristan stayed frozen in place.  
  
"Hi." She said when she reached him.  
  
Tristan shifted positions uncomfortably, "What are you doing here?"  
  
The breeze ruffled her pony tail, blowing loose strands around her face. "I came to see Clara and Aden." Hurt swirled in her bright blue eyes, "I didn't think you would mind."  
  
Tristan shook his head, "I don't. I just didn't see you."  
  
"I was at the other end."  
  
Tristan nodded  
  
Rory nervously stuffed her hands in her pockets and stared at the trees behind him. "Could we talk?" She asked looking back at him.  
  
He stared at him her for a moment, her blue eyes were so beautiful. Finally he said, "Sure."  
  
They both leaned against the front of his camero. Rory whispered, "I was avoiding you that day."  
  
Tristan stared ahead into the baseball diamond, gazing at the cleat marks that had been left behind. "Why?" He asked.  
  
"Because I knew that'd you'd see that something was wrong." She stopped to take a breath, "And I didn't want to talk about it. I never want to talk about it."  
  
"I think that you need to." He said.  
  
Rory looped a tendril of hair behind her ear, "I know."  
  
Tristan turned his head to look at her, "I don't like being left in the dark."  
  
Rory nodded and a single tear fell down her face, "I hate leaving you in the dark." She quickly wiped the tear away with the back of her hand.  
  
Tristan placed a hand on her cheek and she leaned into it.  
  
"Please, tell me what's upsetting you."  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes bright blue, "I want to."  
  
They sat down on the curb together. He took her hand and held it tightly in his.  
  
"I've been having dreams of her."  
  
"What kind of dreams?"  
  
"They start out fine. I'm back in Stars Hollow again and everything is normal. The way it used to be before . . . She isn't dead and I'm so happy because I know that she's supposed to be." A sigh escaped her lips. "And then a wonderful dream turns into a nightmare. Sometimes she just leaves me, she doesn't wait for me. I ask her to but she always walks away and I can never find her. Or we get into fights which always turn out badly. I'll wake up in a cold sweat searching for her or screaming at her and I just can't take it anymore. I hate it so much, all of it." She leaned into his broad chest searching for some kind of comfort.  
  
He stroked her hair and kissed her temple, "How often do have them?"  
  
"Only every now and then, but enough to destroy me. It only takes one dream to do that." Rory thought she would've cried talking about them but she was all dried out. "They got so much worse once we weren't talking. They happened every night."  
  
He cringed at the thought that he had caused her pain. "I'm sorry." He whispered.  
  
Rory shook her head, "It's not your fault. I should have told you."  
  
"And I could have been more understanding."  
  
"Tristan, I don't think you could have been more understanding." She paused to gather herself, "It's just that I'm never ready for them, they come so fast."  
  
"You can never really be prepared."  
  
"I know, but usually I can control my feelings. That day I couldn't."  
  
"Maybe you shouldn't hide your feelings quite so much."  
  
"I wish I could do that, but it's easier said then done."  
  
He pulled away to look into her eyes, "Rory, she wouldn't want you to live like this."  
  
"Like what?" She asked surprised.  
  
"You've lost all your spark Rory. The hope has drained from your eyes, all that's now there is sadness. I hate to see like that and I know she would too." He cupped his face in his hands, "She would want you to move on with your life."  
  
Rory nodded, "I know but it's so hard, it's so hard."  
  
"And it's going to be for a long time. Tomorrow it will hard too and the next day. But a month from now it will become a little easier, it will still be hard but some weight will be lifted. A year from now you'll still miss her just as much, but it will get easier."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Yes, I promise." Tristan gathered her in his arms, "And I'll be there to make it easier."  
  
"Promise?" She asked again.  
  
"Yes." 


	11. somewhere new

.  
  
  
  
Six Months Later . . .  
  
  
  
"Guess what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"We saw our costumes today!" Clara announced as she and Rory made their way to her car.  
  
"You did! What did they look like?" Rory asked.  
  
"It's a surprise! You'll have to see them at my recital." Clara looked up at her, "You will be there right?"  
  
"Of course!" Rory exclaimed.  
  
When they reached the Ford Explorer, they both scrambled into the car and made their way to Luke's where they were meeting Aden and Tristan.  
  
"Do you and Tristan KISS a lot?" Clara asked as she clicked on her seatbelt.  
  
Rory looked at her surprised, "Where did that question come from?" She pulled out of the parking lot.  
  
Clara shrugged, "Well, do you?"  
  
Rory blushed, "Yes we do." Why was she embarrassed in front of a seven year old? But then again she always turned red and got butter flies in her stomach when she thought of Tristan.  
  
"Ohhhh." Clara said giggling. "Aden said you made out, but he doesn't even know what that means."  
  
Rory was laughing now, "Do you two talk about this a lot?"  
  
"Not as much as we talk about the Mets." Clara grinned when she mentioned her favorite baseball team, and then her grin faltered. "I can't believe I had to miss baseball practice today."  
  
"Sometimes you have to make sacrifices."  
  
"I know. But we have a big game coming up and Trevor was making fun of me the other day." Clara sighed torn between baseball and dance.  
  
"Who's this Trevor kid?" Rory asked not liking him already.  
  
"He's short stop." Clara put everything in baseball terms. "He said I cared more about dance then baseball. Which is not true! I like both just the same."  
  
"You tell Trevor when he has the most home runs on the team he can tease you, but only then."  
  
Clara grinned at this, "Yeah I will. He's only got one!! I've got the most."  
  
"That's right." Rory said as she parked in front of Luke's Diner.  
  
As they walked by the window they saw Tristan and Aden in side already talking to Jess.  
  
All three looked up as they entered.  
  
"Hey, it's my favorite girls!" Tristan said.  
  
"Hello Tristan, hi Jess!" Clara as she hopped onto a stool and started asking Aden about what they did in baseball practice.  
  
"Hey Tris." Rory said and kissed him on the cheek. She grinned at Jess, "I read your 'Cold Sassy Tree'."  
  
"And?" Jess asked his eyebrows raised.  
  
"Not half bad." Rory said taking a stool next to Tristan.  
  
"Yeah, right. I can tell you liked it more then that." Jess said pouring a cup of coffee for her.  
  
"Okay, it was really good. Especially the description of characters, it was great." Rory took a sip of her coffee.  
  
"I knew it." Jess looked up to see that other customers needed him, "Be back."  
  
When he was gone Tristan asked, "So are you ready for finals?"  
  
Rory shrugged, "As ready as I'll ever be. I can't believe this year went by so fast."  
  
"Yeah, me too." Tristan nodded his head in agreement. "Off to Harvard now."  
  
Rory smiled, "Yeah."  
  
Both, she and Tristan had been excepted to the elite school and would be starting in August.  
  
"So, are you guys all set for your trip to Europe?" Tristan asked. He was referring to the trip Rory and Lane were taking through out Europe. Lane wasn't taking Lorelai's place, just keeping Rory company.  
  
Rory grinned, her face lit with anticipation. "Yup! The day after finals we'll be back packing through Europe!"  
  
"I'll miss you." Tristan said.  
  
Rory smiled at him, "I'll miss you too." She kissed him.  
  
A stifled giggling interrupted them, they both pulled away to see Aden and Clara pointing at them, their faces red with laughter.  
  
Rory shook her head, "What is it with them and kissing?"  
  
Tristan shrugged, "They're eight."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Remember, we have a date the day before you leave."  
  
"How could I forget?"  
  
He kissed her nose just as Luke came to take their order.  
  
"I'll have the regular." Rory said. It definitely felt good to say that again.  
  
"Same." Tristan said.  
  
Luke raised his eyebrows, "Who said you had a regular?"  
  
"Right. I'll have a cheeseburger with fries and a coke."  
  
Luke nodded, "That's better," He turned to the twins. "The regular for you two today?"  
  
"Yes sir, Mr. Luke sir." Aden said.  
  
"You don't have to call me sir or Mr. Luke." Luke told them for what seemed like the fiftieth time.  
  
"Okay, Mr. Luke sir." Clara giggled.  
  
Luke scowled, "Say, did you see that Mets game the other night?"  
  
Clara scowled with him, "It was the umpires fault!"  
  
"Predictable excuse." Luke said and walked away with Clara throwing insults to the Yankees at his back.  
  
Tristan looked miffed, "How come they get regulars and I don't?"  
  
"Because we're special!" Aden yelled.  
  
Rory laughed, "Because you're my boyfriend, that's why. You're on rocky territory when it comes to Luke."  
  
After they had all finished dinner Tristan and the twins got ready to go home. He would be dropping them off on his way to Hartford.  
  
Rory kissed him goodbye outside as they all got into his car.  
  
"Have fun at Lane's." He said as he started his car.  
  
"I will." She leaned in. "Bye you guys!" She said to the twins who were sitting in the back.  
  
"Bye Rory!" They said in unison. They were immediately quiet, playing their old game.  
  
"See you tomorrow." Rory said to Tristan.  
  
Tristan gave Rory one last kiss and was gone.  
  
"You really like him, don't you?" Jess asked as soon as Rory came back into the diner and sat on a stool.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Rory said looking slightly wistful.  
  
Jess nodded, "I'm glad."  
  
"Me too."  
  
  
  
AN: I'm sorry this was all I was able to update!! I'll write more soon and post it quickly. Thank you all so much for the reviews!!! Keep reviewing!!!!!!!!!!! Please! 


	12. Take me

AN: I didn't update a new chapter but I added to this one because it was too short to have it's own.  
  
  
  
"Where are we going?" Rory asked for the third time.  
  
"It's a surprise." Tristan said once again. "You won't know until we get there so don't bother asking."  
  
Rory gave a sigh of frustration and sat back in her seat. She pulled at the blind fold around her eyes, "Do I HAVE to wear this?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"So you can't see where we are going?"  
  
"Where ARE we going?"  
  
"I'm not answering anymore of your questions."  
  
"Hmph. Fine." Rory said.  
  
For what seemed like hours (which was only really fifteen minutes) they drove in a comfortable silence until Tristan reached his destination.  
  
He shut off the car, "Okay, we're here."  
  
Rory grinned, "Yay!" She went to remove the blind fold but Tristan stopped her.  
  
"Not yet!" He went around to the other side of the car and helped her out.  
  
Rory stumbled along as Tristan led her through only God knows what. Rory sniffed the air, "I smell pine trees!"  
  
Tristan chuckled, "Almost there."  
  
Minutes later Tristan stopped Rory and took off her blind fold.  
  
Rory gasped, they were in a clearing of wildflowers, the moonlight reflected over all of them in a wave of brilliance. At her feet was a picnic, equipped with candles, food and a red checkered blanket.  
  
"Oh Tristan!" She turned to him. "It's beautiful."  
  
He grinned, "I'm glad you like it." He leaned down and kissed her.  
  
Later on they were sitting on the blanket eating fired chicken , potato salad, watermelon, corn on the cob, and apple pie.  
  
"I figured I'd give you an all out American dinner since you'll be in Europe for the next month." Tristan said.  
  
Rory took a bite of her fried chicken, "Mmmm, it's good. Did you make it?"  
  
Tristan laughed, "Of course."  
  
"You didn't, did you?"  
  
"No." Tristan grinned cheekily, "Sookie did."  
  
"Well, no wonder it's so good." Rory said taking another piece of water melon and putting it on her plate.  
  
"What? Do you think I can't cook?"  
  
"No. You can cook fajitahs well enough." Rory paused, "I'm not sure what else though."  
  
"Nothing better then a good fajitah." Tristan mused.  
  
"Except coffee."  
  
"Speaking of that." Tristan reached into the picnic basket and produced two thermos.  
  
Rory squealed excitedly but Tristan put them out of her reach.  
  
"Hey I want some now."  
  
"Not until later."  
  
"You didn't make it, did you?" Rory asked skeptically.  
  
"They're fresh from Luke's."  
  
Rory's eyes widened and then she began to pout, "Oh, please can I have some now?" Her lower lip stuck out even further, if that was even possible, "Please?"  
  
Tristan couldn't help himself, he cupped her face and kissed her slowly and sweetly. Rory placed one of her hands on his cheek and leaned into his embrace. Tristan ran his tongue along her bottom lip seeking entrance, which Rory gave him. The kiss was full of longing and promise, it lasted until they were both out of breath.  
  
When they pulled away, both were smiling.  
  
Rory's blue eyes twinkled, "Now can I have some?"  
  
Later that evening after all the food had been eaten Tristan pulled a small velvet box out of his pants pocket.  
  
"I wanted to give you this before you left." He said holding it out to her.  
  
Rory look up at him, "But I didn't get anything for you." Her voice was full of remorse.  
  
Tristan smiled and kissed her hand, "It's okay, I wanted to give this to you." He placed the box in her hand.  
  
Rory slowly opened the box and found an intricate, silver ring inside. It was a heart held by two hands on either side, there was a crown placed on top of the heart. "It's beautiful." She whispered.  
  
Tristan smiled and pulled the ring out of the box carefully, "Everyone on my Mom's side of the family wears it, it's a symbol of the Irish heritage." He slipped it onto her finger, "I know you're not Irish, but you're apart of me Rory, and I'm Irish."  
  
Rory smiled up at him, she was about to say something when he cut her off.  
  
'Wait, I'm not finished." He lifted her hand and pointed to the small hands on the ring, "These stand for friendship, I will always be here for you. The crown stands for loyalty, I will always be faithful." Tristan paused and then said, "And the heart stands for love, because I love you Rory." He kissed the ring, and then the inside of her palm. "I love you."  
  
Rory stared at him, it was the second time someone had told her that he loved her. And for the second time she couldn't speak.  
  
"It's okay, I can wait for your answer." Tristan smiled.  
  
Rory smiled back and finally found her voice, "I love you too Tristan."  
  
"I thought so." He said egotistically.  
  
"Of course you had to say that." Rory said but she was laughing. "I love you so much."  
  
Tristan embraced her, "Me too. I have for a long time now."  
  
"How long?" Rory asked in his ear.  
  
"Since the day you first came back after you're mom passed away." Tristan pulled away and looked at her, "Do you remember that? When I saw you in the hallway, and then when you walked away I knew I loved you. I knew."  
  
Rory kissed him softly, "I remember."  
  
"Since that day and forever now."  
  
They sat holding each other in silence for awhile until Tristan slowly stood and pulled Rory up with him, "Let's dance."  
  
"With no music?"  
  
"Wait." Tristan pulled out a small stereo from the picnic basket.  
  
Rory laughed, "What else do you have in there?"  
  
Tristan raised his eyebrows, "You'll never know." He set in stereo on the ground and turned the radio on, "I was thinking of bringing a cd to play, but I decided to be spontaneous." He took Rory in his arms, "Next song that comes on will be ours."  
  
"That is spontaneous. What if it's Celine Dion or something?"  
  
"Then we'll wait." Tristan said blanching at the idea of that.  
  
But the next song to come on was not Celine Dion, it was perfect for the moment and just right for them.  
  
  
  
(I'm standing on a bridge  
  
I'm waitin in the dark  
  
I thought that you'd be here by now  
  
There's nothing but the rain  
  
No footsteps on the ground  
  
I'm listening but there's no sound)  
  
  
  
"I like this song." Rory said as they began dancing.  
  
"Yeah, better then Celine."  
  
  
  
(Isn't anyone tryin to find me?  
  
Won't somebody come take me home  
  
It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Wont you take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
but I . . . I'm with you)  
  
  
  
Tristan ran his hands lightly up and down Rory's back, he breathed in her sent and knew he was where he was supposed to be. With her.  
  
  
  
(I'm looking for a place  
  
searching for a face  
  
is anybody here i know  
  
cause nothings going right  
  
and everything's a mess  
  
and no one likes to be alone)  
  
  
  
Rory laid her head on Tristan's shoulder, "Where did you find this place?" She asked him.  
  
"My family and I used to come here all the time when I was younger, we'd do the family picnic thing." He said.  
  
"It's beautiful, and perfect." Rory breathed looking around at her surroundings.  
  
Tristan kissed her neck lightly, "It is."  
  
  
  
(Isn't anyone tryin to find me?  
  
Won't somebody come take me home  
  
It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Wont you take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
but I . . . I'm with you)  
  
  
  
"I can't believe I'm not going to see you for a whole month." Rory said.  
  
Tristan drew her closer to him, "I know. And I'll be worried about all those European men trying to steal my girl."  
  
Rory laughed, "Tough luck to them."  
  
"That's what I like to hear."  
  
"I promise I'll send letters and postcards, and call as often as possible." Rory pulled away to look at him. "I won't forget."  
  
"You better not." Tristan kissed her softly.  
  
  
  
(oh why is everything so confusing  
  
maybe I'm just out of my mind  
  
yea, yea, yea)  
  
  
  
Rory sighed, "I'm going to miss you so much."  
  
Tristan leaned his forehead against hers, "I'll miss you too. But it won't be so bad, you'll be back by August and we'll have the rest of the summer together."  
  
  
  
(It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Wont you take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
but I . . . I'm with you)  
  
  
  
"But it seems so far away." Rory said.  
  
"Time will fly by, I promise." Tristan said. "Besides you'll have fun with Lane."  
  
Rory smiled, "Yeah, we will."  
  
  
  
(Take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
but I... I'm with you  
  
I'm with you)  
  
  
  
Rory leaned her head against Tristan once again  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"It feels nice to say that."  
  
"It does."  
  
  
  
(Take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
but I... I'm with you  
  
I'm with you  
  
I'm with you...)  
  
  
  
************************************************  
  
"Here's yours."  
  
"Thanks." Rory pushed the ground making it swing back and forth.  
  
"Does it taste okay?"  
  
Rory took a sip from her mug, "Yeah, it tastes okay."  
  
"Good." She said placing an arm around her daughter.  
  
Rory laid her head on her mom's shoulder, she breathed in her scent. ""I wish you didn't have to leave."  
  
"Me too." Lorelai took a sip of coffee, "But you'll be okay."  
  
Rory looked down at her mug, the coffee was dark and murky. "How can you be sure?"  
  
"Because I'm your mother."  
  
Rory finished the last of her coffee and placed the cup on the ground, "Then maybe I will be." Rory sighed, "But I hate it when you leave."  
  
"I'll never leave you Rory. I'll always be right here with you, I'll always be beside you."  
  
Rory looked up at her blue eyes, "Promise?"  
  
"Promise."  
  
Rory turned over in her sleep, clutching the covers closer to her. A soft smile played on her lips.  
  
REVIEW!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!!!  
  
AN: I would just like to tell Maree Collingswood that Tristan's mother Kathryn Farley is Irish, not his father, the last name Farley is definitely Irish. Thanks for telling me Gilmore was an Irish name, I had no idea. And thank you so much for your review!!!!!!  
  
The song I used for this story was from Avril Lavigne's new album, Let Go, it's called 'I'm With You'. I didn't use that title though because I didn't think it fit the story well. Thanks for the awesome reviews! 


	13. Come Home

Come Take Me Home  
  
By Kay  
  
  
  
Ten Years Later . . .  
  
Sweat trickled down her back and across her forehead. The lights shined in her face as her feet glided across the floor beneath her.  
  
Just a little bit longer. Four more pirouettes.  
  
One. Two. Three. Four.  
  
She stopped, dead center of the stage not moving. The smile still on her face she gave an elegant bow.  
  
The booming applause echoed throughout the theatre. It thundered in her ears as the curtain dropped and made the stage vibrate below her.  
  
The rest of the dancers filtered onto the stage and hugged her tightly.  
  
"That was spectacular!" Shouted Tina, her best friend.  
  
"Thanks." She said as they pulled away.  
  
Tina's face was strewn with tears, "That's it Clara! Our final show."  
  
Clara nodded, her own eyes filled with tears, she hugged Tina again. "Here we come Juliard!"  
  
The curtain lifted up for five more curtain calls until the dancers were finally able to go back into their dressing rooms. She and Tina walked out together where families and friends were there to congratulate them.  
  
"Oh there's my Mom!" Tine left Clara's side, "I'll catch up with you later!"  
  
"Bye!" Clara shouted to Tina's retreating back.  
  
"Clara!"  
  
She turned to see her brother running toward her.  
  
"Aden!" She ran to him.  
  
He swept her up into a great, big bear hug. "You were magnificent!"  
  
"Thank you." Clara said.  
  
"Oh, man Clara! I never knew you could move like that!" Aden practically shouted, "All the guys were going crazy!" Aden hugged her again, squeezing the breath out of her.  
  
Clara's eyes widened, "They guys came?"  
  
Aden laughed and threw his arm around her shoulder, "Of course they did." He guided her toward the rest of the family, "Everyone's here."  
  
Out of the crowd came Clara's mother, "Mom!" She left Aden's side and ran to her mother.  
  
"Oh darling! I'm so proud of you." Diana Clemmings said as she embraced her daughter.  
  
"Thanks Mom."  
  
"Oh, here's your father." Diana said between tears.  
  
Clara's father swept her into a hug, "You were great, Clara!"  
  
Clara saw Tristan behind her father, "Tristan! You came!"  
  
"Of course I did." He laughed as he pulled her into his embrace, "Do you think I'd miss my little cus's last home performance before she went off to her big dance school?"  
  
Clara laughed with him, "I guess not." She pulled away. "But where's . . ." She trailed off when another person showed up beside them. "Oh my gosh! Look how big you've gotten!"  
  
Rory laughed, "You were amazing." She said as they hugged. "That was just so spectacular!"  
  
Clara pulled away, "Thanks. I still can't believe you!"  
  
Rory grinned, "Only two more weeks." She placed a hand on her large stomach.  
  
Tristan threw an arm around his wife, "And we'll have another yours truly running around the house."  
  
Clara rolled her eyes, "Well, I hope it's a girl, so I can teach her how to play baseball."  
  
"And dance!" Rory added, "You were absolutely remarkable."  
  
Clara kissed her cheek, "Thank you."  
  
Behind her came shouts and whoops.  
  
"Clara! Our little home runner!!! Who knew she could dance like that?!"  
  
"Oh girl, you looked good in that little tutu!"  
  
"Yeah! Nice legs!"  
  
"Better then any baseball uniform!"  
  
Clara turned around to see the guys from her baseball team, "So you like?" She asked striking a pose.  
  
They guys pulled her into their huddle and slapped her on the back, pinched her cheek and congratulated her.  
  
Rory smiled as she watched this, "That is one brave girl."  
  
Tristan smiled with her, "You can say that again."  
  
"I want out little girl to be a dancer."  
  
"Who says it's going to be a girl?"  
  
"I have my ways."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Tristan swooped down and kissed his wife, "Then I hope so too."  
  
An hour later, after all the flowers and roses were given to Clara, and the congratulations had been said, every one began to head home.  
  
Rory kissed Clara, "Congrats again hon.  
  
Tristan also said his final words to Clara who was the swept off by her baseball team for a celebration party.  
  
Rory yawned, "My feet hurt."  
  
Tristan laughed, "Okay. Come on." He grabbed her hand and led her toward the doors, "Let's go home."  
  
  
  
The End!!!! Hope you liked it!!! Please, please REVIEW!!!!!!! 


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